🌅 Good Morning, Villages. This week’s Pulse is packed: we’ve got a salute to our local veterans (don’t miss the poll), a hidden Colombian café in Oxford that’ll blow your taste buds away, a new Pet of the Month feature (meet Candy 🐱), and a local real estate stunner with a $66K price drop, and a new weekly history feature on the family behind The Villages!

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In today’s Villages Pulse:

• Poll of The Week: This one’s for the veterans

• Villages Family History Chapter 1

• Pet of the month, and much, much more!

Let’s dive in.

— Kevin Rogers, Publisher

Poll Of The Week

Calling All Veterans: Sound Off!
The Villages is home to one of the largest veteran populations in the country, and we know many of you served with pride—and probably have a few good stories. This week’s poll is a simple salute: tell us which branch you served in. Bragging rights (and maybe a few service rivalries) encouraged.

I also wanted to thank everyone who participated in the Water Filter poll, and raved about Nova Filters. If it weren’t for your comments about the best water filter, I still wouldn’t have one. My Nova whole house filter install is scheduled for August 14, and I can’t wait for that clean, tasty water! I know many of you already took advantage of the deal. For new readers, the offer is still available in last Thursday’s post here.

Business Briefs

🌮 Hidden Gem Alert: Candelaria Eatery & Café (Oxford)
Foodies, this one’s for you. Candelaria is a low-key Colombian-American café serving up bold flavor and serious soul. Think juicy empanadas, plantain bowls, arepas, and the kind of patacón burger that makes you text friends mid-bite. Every dish is fresh, handmade, and plated with love. It’s casual, charming, and totally addictive. If you’ve been craving something different (and actually delicious), this tucked-away spot off 301 is the real deal. No hype—just heat, spice, and everything right. Go hungry. Thank us later. MENU

The Family Behind The Villages: A Legacy of Vision and Growth

Chapter 1: The Seeds of a Vision

Harold Schwartz, a Chicago-born businessman, had already worn many hats by the time he planted the seeds of The Villages. He’d weathered the Great Depression as a traveling salesman and later found success selling land by mail. When new laws halted those mail-order land sales in 1968, Harold found himself with unsold Florida land – and a bold idea. Why not build a community where retirees could enjoy Florida’s sunshine and an active lifestyle, all in one place?

In the early 1970s, Harold put that idea into action by buying a small mobile-home park in Central Florida called Orange Blossom Gardens. It was barely more than a sleepy trailer park in Lady Lake, with a handful of homes, a tiny clubhouse, and one golf course carved out of pastureland. Still, Harold saw potential. He envisioned a friendly, affordable community where retirees could find both relaxation and recreation, and he partnered with a friend, Al Tarrson, to market Orange Blossom Gardens as a laid-back haven. A trickle of adventurous retirees arrived – drawn by the low prices and promise of easygoing living – but growth remained slow throughout the 1970s.

By the early 1980s, only a few hundred homes dotted the property, and Harold realized the development needed fresh energy to take off. In 1983, after disagreeing with his partner about the community’s direction, he bought out the partner’s share to take full control and turned to his son, Harold “Gary” Morse, for help. Gary was an advertising executive who shared his father’s faith in the concept, and he agreed to come down to breathe new life into Orange Blossom Gardens. This infusion of family talent marked a turning point that soon transformed the struggling trailer park into a thriving town.

Even as Gary took on more responsibility, Harold remained the community’s guiding spirit. He lived on-site among the residents, taking walks and chatting with neighbors. Villagers recall him as a warm, approachable figure who truly listened to their ideas for improving the neighborhood – whether it meant adding a shuffleboard court or organizing a dance. This hands-on style made everyone feel part of something special – it wasn’t just a real estate project, it felt like a true hometown taking shape.

In 1992, Orange Blossom Gardens officially took on a new name – The Villages – signaling that the little community was growing into something larger. By the mid-1990s, Harold saw his humble project blossoming. He retired from daily management in 1994 and handed over leadership to Gary and the third generation of his family. Harold remained in the community as its proud patriarch until his passing in 2003, witnessing the dream he started turn into a thriving hometown. His chapter of the story set the foundation: a vision and personal touch that would guide The Villages as it continued to grow under his family’s care.

Next Monday: Chapter 2: H. Gary Morse and the Rise of The Villages

Open House Of The Week

6126 Mulligan Run | Reduced $66k !! | Open house: Wed Jul 30 1 PM | $999,000

This isn’t just a home—it’s a showstopper. Built in 2021, this Designer Iris in the Villages of Southern Oaks offers 2,930 sq. ft. of gorgeous living space plus an 872 sq. ft. glass-enclosed lake-view retreat—perfect for coffee or cocktails. With room for a pool and stunning panoramic lake views, this is Florida living turned up to 11.

The chef’s kitchen wows with dual double ovens, gas stove, quartz counters, bar seating, and endless white cabinetry. The primary suite feels like a resort, with a jumbo walk-in shower, dual sinks, and a closet fit for royalty. Upgrades? Everywhere: sealed porcelain tile, crown molding, plantation shutters, solar tubes, Murphy bed/desk, custom closets, garage mini-split, attic lift, and more.

With a $66K price drop, this immaculate home is a rare opportunity.

Pet of The Month

🐾New Feature: Pet of the Month from the Humane Society of Sumter County!

📍 Visit the Humane Society of Sumter County to meet Candy and other adoptable pets. Let's help clear the shelter—starting with this lovable little girl.

Business

Hooters Opened 3 Weeks Ago Today

It’s been three weeks since The Villages got its very own Hooters. So… have you made the wing pilgrimage yet?

Upcoming Events

Want a Featured Event with a poster/image? Reach out.

Shirley’s Senior(50+) Hold’em Tourney | Oxford Downs | Mon Jul 28 | 11:15 am | Details

🏌️‍♀️ Ladies Basics of Golf | Palmer Legends | Jul 29 | 9 am | Details

🍽️Cooking Class | Legacy Restaurant | Tue July 29 | 12 pm or 2:30 pm

🌆Sunset Socials: Bean Bag Baseball | Truman | Wed Jul 30 | Details

🏌️ David’s Scoring Clinic | Lopez Legacy Academy | Wed Jul 30 | 8:30 am | Details

🦞 Cousins Maine Lobster | Sparr Building Wildwood | Jul 31 | 11am - 8 pm | Details

⛳️ Joey’s Short Game Clinic | Sarasota Practice | Thu Jul 31 | 7:30 am | Details

🎤 Alan Ross Karaoke Road Show | Old Mill Playhouse | Fri Aug 1 | 5:30 pm | Details

Junk in The Trunk | Brown & Brown Farms | Sat Aug 2 | 7:30 am - 1 pm | Details

🎸 Cruzin With Steve & Suzie | Old Mill Playhouse | Sat Aug 2 | 6 PM | Details

🎸 Tribute to Chicago | Whispering Oaks | Aug 28 | 7 pm | Details/Tickets

Have an event you want to announce to 6,100+ local Villagers? Email us the details and a link to [email protected]

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Weather

Monday: 98 🌡️ 79 | ☀️ | 20% | 🌬️ SE 5 mph

Tuesday: 98 🌡️ 78 | 🌦️ | 50% | 🌬️ S 5 mph

Wednesday 94 🌡️ 78 | 🌦️ | 50% | 🌬️ Light winds

Live Music Lowdown

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thanks!

Thanks for reading Villages Pulse today. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who love cats!

P.S. Want to get your business in front of 6,100+ local Villagers? Reach out here.